From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Accident report concerning the 10-EX car, detailing a rear-end collision on the Derby to Burton road.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 113\1\ scan0077 | |
| Date | 17th August 1927 | |
| X4199 To D/L. from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AJL. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AJL1/LG17.8.27. ACCIDENT TO 10-EX CAR. I was driving 10-EX along the Derby to Burton Rd. towards Burton at approx. 4.45 p.m. on the 16.8.27. (G.Ratcliffe tester accompanied me). When about 3 miles from Derby (after descending Pastures Hill) I overtook a car at a speed of between 30 and 35 m.p.h. Between 250 and 300 yds. ahead a car was stationary on the left-hand side of the road, whilst a lorry was approaching, travelling in the opposite direction. After signalling that I was about to slow down, I applied the brakes and stopped behind the stationary car to allow the lorry to pass. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Ratcliffe also signalled that we were about to stop. After we had stopped, the sound of brakes being applied and wheels skidding was heard; almost immediately we were run into from behind. The car that ran into us was the car we had previously over-taken, a Standard (registration No. XT-954) owned and driven by Mr. Lansdowne (card attached). Names and addresses were exchanged. The driver of the Standard car and Mr. J.Levene who was with him both stated that they saw our signals 30 yds. before the point at which the collision occurred, and that they had ample time to pull up. Mr. Lansdowne applied his brakes and marks on the road indicated that his near-side rear wheel was locked for a distance of 15 yds., apparently the off side brake was not very effective; otherwise the car would have pulled up in the distance, as the speed of the car when the brakes were applied, according to Mr. Lansdowne was 25 m.p.h. The roads were wet and greasy. An indication that 10-EX was not braked at all severely was that no tyre marks at all were visible on the wet road. The damage to 10-EX car consisted of :- (a) Rear number plate (transparent celluloid) broken. (b) Under rear body panel dented by the n/s front tyre of the Standard car. The damage to the Standard car consisted of :- (a) N/S front wing damaged. (b) N/S head lamp glass cracked and lamp dented slightly. (c) Radiator matrix slightly damaged. The statement made by Mr. Lansdowne and Mr.Levene that they both saw our signals in ample time to pull up and that 10-EX was not driven to such a manner as to be the cause of the accident, was made again in the presence of Mr. DeLooze who happened to pass by after the accident had occurred. contd :- | ||